Friday, January 29, 2016

Tengo gozo in mi alma hoy!

Monday Jan 25 was Sid's 20th birthday!! it was fun to be able to email her on her birthday. thanks so much to all of you who sent her a card of letter to make her day a special one. I was missing her today. It was great to get pics of her so happy!!

Birthday Surprises!!

Cant believe she is 20!!!

Letter from Jan 25

Good Morning!

This is the weirdest birthday ever. Mainly just because it's not a miserable cold that makes me want to stay inside all day. If I were to have lived here growing up, I could've had my birthday parties outside every year. It's about 56ish degrees (that's what the car said) and sunny. It's great. But other than that, nothing else feels weird. Oh, except I'm no longer a teenager anymore. That's a little weird. I'm 20. ha. weird. Thank you so much for my package of fun things! I love the clothes, and all the treats. They are great. I've "decided" (with quotes around it because it's just a soft decision) that after I run out of the treats that I've been given, I can't buy anymore. But now that I typed it, it slightly sounds like a terrible idea. So I'll let you know how firm that decision stays.

So this past week has been great. We had a world wide missionary conference broadcasted to us, we had our multizone meeting, we met a whole bunch of new people, and a baptism!!!

About 1 month and 1 week ago, we got a referral from some of the English Elders for a woman named Adrianna. When we went to visit her, we were able to meet with her and her family. We have been teaching them at least 2 times a week ever since. They have progressed so much and they absolutely love the Book of Mormon. Adrianna was baptized about 5 years ago, and wanted her 2 girls to learn more about the gospel and to go to church. This week, we were able to have a really fun lesson with them about service. We threw garbage all over their porch, and had them do a little "service project" after the lesson and clean up their porch. No one would touch this really gross napkin that was on the top step, but it needed to be cleaned up. So as I picked up the dirty napkin, the girls lost it. They were laughing so hard and wouldn't stop. I love the relationship that we have with this family. It has been so fun to work with them and to become part of their family.

Last night, one of the girls, Katia, was baptized. It was a great service and we had a lot of support from the ward. Katia was extremely nervous before her baptism, and so was the 18 year old boy, who is preparing for a mission, who baptized her. Our bishop had asked him to do it, and it ended up being the best person to do it. As they both nervously walked into the water, they were exercising their faith in our Savior. As soon as the ordinance was completed, you could see the change in both Katia and Isaac. They were calmed, and happy, and so was I. Katia had known that she made the right decision, and that was confirmed as her mom put her arms around her and kissed her forehead after. Her mom is so grateful that she found the missionaries, in order to help her family receive the same blessings that she has received. Katia was so prepared for her baptized and was truly converted. She has now entered into a covenant with a determination to serve our Savior and Heavenly Father until the end.

Katia awaiting her baptism!

(Sorry it's a little blurry.) Katia is the one in the California Shirt.

Then the boy on the side is Isaac, the one who baptized her. ​

We found a couple more families to teach this week! They are both really cool, and are big families. I'm so excited to keep working with them, and to help them strengthen their faith in our Savior and his atonement. One of the families we found, was definitely a blessing from diligence and obedience. Every night, if we are not in someones house by 8:30, then we have to head home. One night this week, we had just a few minutes to find someone to teach, but we went through all our planned names. We stopped at a potential investigators house that was on the way home, and we were in their house by exactly 8:30. They are a really cool family and invited us to come back! We know that we had success with that lesson and with finding this family, because we kept working until the very last minute possible. I am so grateful for all the people I have meet here, and for the ability to help people change and realize what they need to do.

The scripture I want to share with you today is Enos 1:25. (JAN:25)

25 And it came to pass that I began to be old, and an hundred and seventy and nine years had passed away from the time that our father Lehi left Jerusalem.

I found this scripture today, and I don't think it's a coincidence.... I began to be old, and a hundred and seventy and nine years have passed away from the time that I left Salt Lake City. (kinda)

But I love every minute of it, and I wouldn't want to spend my 20th birthday any where else. I hope you all have the best day ever and that you do something super fun with your families tonight.